How many of us still overeat because they hear the voices of moms and grandmas in their heads every time they sit down to a meal? “Clean your plate or you can’t leave the table.” “There are starving kids in Africa, finish your food.” We are taught from a very early age to finish whatever food is put in front of us, but what does that do to us in the long term? When overeating is engrained in you from birth, it makes the choice of whether to finish that sandwich or plate full of pasta very difficult. I needed to relearn that if I didn’t waste my food, it would go straight to my waist.

Getting fit is the Holiday Gift that keeps on giving. Plus the holidays fall right before the New Year, when most of us start up on our resolutions to tighten and tone up. Whether you are looking for a gift for someone just getting started on their fitness lifestyle or for a hardcore fitness nut, this fitness gift guide will get you started on the right track.

If you enjoy being in the water, and you have a desire to add to, or increase your level of fitness, aqua aerobics might be a perfect solution. All it takes is a body of water and proper clothing. Additional items, like ankle or wrist weights, gloves, or a buoyancy belt are optional, depending on your goals.

photo credit – wikipedia.org

So how does one get started with aqua aerobics? Get in the water and get (and keep) moving! It’s really that simple. The term ‘aqua aerobics’ is just what it implies: aerobic activity in the water. That is, moving around and increasing your heart rate.

Capoeira originated in Brazil during the 16th century. There are a few versions of the story but basically Capoeira was formed by slaves so that they could defend themselves. They lived in horrible conditions and out-numbered their owners significantly. This is why if slaves were caught practicing any form of fighting techniques their punishment would be severe, often resulting in death. The slaves worked to make their movements look more like a dance to avoid detection by the slave owners. Slaves practiced Capoeira to music and song. The traditions have been passed down through generations and Capoeira is now practiced all over the world.

Managing your hunger and making sure you are keeping your metabolism at optimal speed are two pretty important parts of any successful weight loss plan. Snacking throughout the day is the perfect win win solution for this. Having several fun and healthy snacks planned for each day can really help with maximizing your fat burning too. With that in mind, we decided to put together this list of fun and healthy snacks for weight loss.

Yep, you read that right. What if I told you that you could lose weight and while doing so be part of an amazing project that distributed free meals to children. You’d probably think it was pretty unbelievable that a company would do such a thing. I know I did. Well as part of the ViSalus Project-10 Campaign I challenge you to lose 10 lbs and by doing so you’ll provide a hungry child with 30-days worth of meals. That’s right, you lose 10lbs, hungry children get food, pretty win-win huh? Want to know more? Keep reading.

For many of us, our cardio exercise routines take us to a gym where we jump on a treadmill and pound out the miles. I don’t know about you, but for me, using a treadmill is one of the most tedious and boring ways to get my cardio in. I much prefer taking my workout outdoors and hitting the streets. I also love taking it a step further and going completely off road and hitting a nice trail. If you haven’t ever tried trail running you should seriously consider it. Here are a few reasons why trail running is better than a treadmill.

Trying to keep a healthy heart and waistline can be a real challenge when going out to eat. This is especially true when it comes to fine dining where rich cheeses, butters, and creams seem to be on every plate. Thankfully Seasons 52 has stepped in and combined fresh heathy eats with fine dining.

Hello OTRTF readers! I am thrilled that Lauren asked me to take over the blog today. I am going to talk about something I swear by…Bee Pollen! Now to cover all our bases I need to first state that I am by no means a health professional. You must consult with your doctor before taking bee pollen. You must also follow the recommended dosage. Two very important components to this health regimen.

I first started taking bee pollen about a year and half ago. One of the best decisions I ever made. I did all the research and decided I wanted to give it a try. Bee pollen is a complete superfood that has been used for years. It is pollen that is packed into granules by the worker honeybee. It is full of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in proteins and amino acids. I’ve found that there are 5 major benefits of bee pollen that improve my quality of life every day.

Every New Year rolls around and people around the world take the time out to pick one or two things in their lives that they want to change, resolve that they will “really work on it this year” and then promptly forget their resolutions and go back to the same old things they were doing the previous year. One of the most common resolutions is to “lose weight” or “get into shape”. It’s no wonder why, our health is the most important thing we have, so it makes sense that we all want to live healthier lives. But if it’s so important, why do so many of us fail to make the needed changes in our lives? We’ll here’s a look at some of the most common weight loss fails and why trying just another diet will more than likely wont work. More importantly though here are some tips on how you can over come them to make sure you are a success on your journey along the road to fit.